Co-Creating More Purpose and Joy!

I am a Delhi based Facilitator and Behavioral Counselor. My work involves supporting people to identify their strengths and create more happiness and success.

After completing my course in Electrical Engineering I started my career as an AutoCAD Trainer. I worked with companies like Media Video Ltd., Johnson Controls and ET&T and recognized my passion for training.

During a telephone counseling volunteering assignment I happened to save a girl’s life and this incident motivated me to move forward with the BPO leader GECIS and then carry on my journey in the field of Professional & Behavioral Skills Training. I worked with Equinox BPO (now, Oracle BPO) for about three years as a Lead Trainer and moved on to become Assistant Manager OD at Aegis BPO. I gained further experience in Instructional Designing and Life Coaching and worked with organizations like Accenture and NIIT. My last worked organization was Jaipur Rugs as Senior Manager- Talent Development.

I studied Psychology at Annamalai University and did Post Graduate Course in Training and Development from ISTD. I also completed Courses in Instructional Designing, Counseling and Coaching.

After 15 years of living my life happily, one day I felt as if there was something strange happening to me. I felt miserable and didn’t feel like talking to anyone. I could not sleep or eat properly. Life became gloomy and dark. It took me six years to know that I was suffering from Bi-polar disorder. Life was tough and full of darkness and fear. There were times when I just could sleep for three days in a row. Sometimes I would feel so tired and weak that I would not even have the energy to get up from bed. I didn’t know how to handle all that. I kept asking God – Why me? I remember asking this question to my psychologist. She told me that, “Our biggest challenges are our greatest blessings in disguise.” I could not make any sense of that at that point in time.

I decided that I will not let my predicament affect my studies. I completed a course in Engineering and found a job in a fortune 500 company. Things were fine but there was something missing in my life.

During that time I saw an advertisement in the newspaper. An NGO was looking for some volunteers for a telephonic counseling helpline service. I applied there and took an evening shift. After work I started going there. I loved the experience of talking to people over the phone and helping them.

I decided to quit my Engineering career and I joined a Call Center. My parents and friends thought that I had lost my mind; however, I followed my heart. Talking to so many people over the phone and helping them was fun. For some time everything were fine but things were supposed to happen in a unique way for me. One day at work, a trainer who was supposed to take a session fell ill and there was no one else to take that session. When I got to know about this I asked my supervisor if I can conduct that session. She was all right with that. I was little anxious but I gave my best shot. The session went very well and I received very good feedback from the participants. Within three months I applied for a job as a Soft Skills Trainer and I got it.

I loved the feel of conducting training sessions and my work became my passion. I felt nice that I was bringing a change in other’s lives. Side by side, I did my MA in Psychology, MBA in HR and a course in Training and Development. While I was undergoing progress in my professional life, my personal life was still being tormented by the Bi-polar demon. In the year 2006, my mentor, Chitra Ravi (www.seedtlc.com) suggested me to attend Transactional Analysis 101 by Dr. Pearl Drego and Fr. Oswald. It had a profound affect on me and I found the stepping stone to combat Bi-polar disorder. I did numerous other courses like Reiki Healing, Angel Therapy, Aroma Therapy and they helped in to some extent. I attended NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) by Dr. Richard Mchugh in the year 2011 and as if someone gave me answers to all my questions. My belief that I had to live with the Bi-polar disorder for the rest of my life got thrashed and I got a new life which was more stable and full of serenity and joy.

In the professional front, after working as a Senior Manager - Training, I became a freelance behavioral skills trainer and a behavioral counselor. One day while I was sitting in a coffee shop, I met my psychologist by chance. We were very happy to see each other. I told her about my journey of self development and career shift. She smiled and repeated the same line, “Our biggest challenges are our greatest blessings in disguise.”

It took me time to understand and realize that had it not been Bi-polar disorder I would never have studied psychology and pursued a career in training and counseling. Life is always beautiful. When the dark clouds surmount the sun, we just need to look at the silver lining.